Foot cushion



June 5, 1956 w. M. SCHOLL 2,748,503

FOOT CUSHION Filed May 6, 1955 filzsnzclr W/LL/AM M. 507044 FOOT CUSHIONWilliam M. Scholl, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 6, 1955, Serial No. 506,574

2 Claims. (Cl. 36-71) This invention relates to improvements in a footcushion, and more particularly to a foot cushion highly desirable foruse as a partial insole to underlie the forepart of the plantar surfaceof the foot and lend relief to persons suffering from cramped toes,persons whose toes ride more fully on the ends, persons who suffer fromtender relatively thin tissue on the metatarsal area of the foot,persons afliicted with callosities on the plantar surface of the foot,and similar afiiictions, although the invention will afford relief tovarious other afflictions and deformities, as well as lend comfort to anormal foot, as is apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the past, many and various types of foot cushions have beendeveloped, but in most instances were not as satisfactory in use as isdesired. In many cases these formerly known devices crowded the foot andparticularly the toes to an objectionable extent when disposed in anarticle of footwear of proper size for the individual foot. In addition,these formerly known devices, in every instance of which I am aware,were not adaptable particularly for use in ladies open-toed shoes andsimilar articles of footwear without visibly betraying their presence tothe casual onlooker. Further, formerly known devices of this particularcharacter in many cases gave rise to an abrupt elevation in the shoe,especially when made in the form of a partial insole, and in many casesdid not give adequate support or relief to the metatarsal arch of afoot.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instantinvention to provide an improved foot cushion for disposition in a shoeor other article of footwear, and which is made in the form of a partialinsole sized and contoured for disposition in the shoe under theforepart of the foot, and provided with means to lend adequate supportto the metatarsal arch of a foot.

Also an object of this invention is the provision of an improved footcushion in the form of a partial insole to underlie the forepart of afoot, and which partial insole is provided with a notch or cutout at theforward end thereof to insure adequate toe room within the shoe withoutdeparting from the effective function of the device.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved footcushion particularly designed to adequately support the foot of a user,and yet be invisible when disposed within an open-teed shoe or similararticle of footwear.

Still a further object of the instant invention is the provision of afoot cushion in the form of a partial insole to underlie the forepart ofa foot, so constructed as to provide adequate ventilation for the footat all times, and also constructed to eliminate any sudden rise orelevation beneath the plantar surface of the foot.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the provision of animproved foot cushion comprising a laminated partial insole, with anadded piece of the same laminated material secured to the partial insoleto underlie the metatarsal arch of the user and lend support nitedStates Patent ice to that arch, the use of the same materials addingnoticeably to the economy of manufacture.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantagesof the instant invention have been above pointed out, others Will becomeapparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a footcushion embodying principles of the instant invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the structure of Fig. 1; and

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially asindicated by the line III-J11 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of thearrows.

As shown on the drawings:

In the illustrated embodiment of the instant invention there is shown afoot cushion in the form of a partial insole, sized and contoured forfree disposition in a shoe or other article of footwear to underlie theforepart of the foot.

The foot cushion proper includes a laminated sheet comprising an underand relatively thick layer 1 of cushioning material, preferably foamlatex, and a top covering layer 2 of any suitable material providing asmooth surface for contact by the foot or hosiery of the user. A silkyfinish fabric is quite satisfactory for this purpose, although anymaterial having a smooth, slick, or non-binding suface would besuitable. In the instant disclosure, a smooth silky surfaced fabric isutilized, and this is preferably cured or vulcanized directly to thefoam latex layer.

Foam latex is preferred for the material for the underlayer owing to itslightness, its resistance to compacting, its durable restorative powers,its launderability, and the fact that when it has intercommunicatingcells it provides a desirable ventilation feature. Air will be pumpedinto and out of the cells during the repeated applications and releasesof pressure upon the cushion during walking. As is clearly seen in Figs.1 and 2, ventilation is also enhanced by the provision of numerousapertures 3 extending entirely through the laminated structure.

With reference to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the device is preferablylaterally skived as indicated at 4 along its rear edge so as toeliminate any abrupt elevation against the foot of the user when thedevice is disposed in a shoe or the like. This skiving 4, in theillustrated instance, would occur mostly in the latex layer, and willcause a gentle rise or elevation that is not uncomfortable to the foot.

The illustrated form of the invention extends from a point beneath thelongitudinal arch of the foot, forwardly to the end of the shoe. It willbe especially noted that the forward end of the device is cut out toprovide a curvate notch 5 which performs a dual function. First,provision of the notch insures adequate toe room for the user within ashoe that normally fits the foot of the user without the cushiontherein. Secondly, the notch is preferably so shaped as to conform withthe cut in the upper of an open-teed shoe so that when the device isworn in such shoe, the device itself is invisible.

Further, as seen in the drawings a generally ovate piece, preferably ofthe same laminated material in order to reduce manufacturing costs, istaken and secured to the partial insole in the region of the metatarsalarch. In the illustrated instance, this piece 6 is secured to thepartial insole by a line of stitching 7 which passes entirely throughboth the piece and the partial insole. Preferably, as seen best in Fig.3, the added piece 6 is secured with its latex side confronting thelatex side of the partial insole so that the fabric on the piece 6 isdownward. The addition of the ovate piece 6 provides a double 3thickness beneath the metatarsal arch of the user, and lends support tothat arch in a gentle yet effective manner.

In use, it is simply necessary to slip the cushion in a shoe or otherarticle of footwear, and the latex undersurface will provide a gentleclinging action to the built in insole of the shoe, so that the footcushion will remain in position during use, and not tend to shift orbuckle, or otherwise assume a position uncomfortable tothe user. Thesmooth upper surface permits easy donning of the shoe with the footcushion in place.

Manifestly, the foot cushion will add comfort to the foot of a normalperson spending an amount of time on his feet. The cushion also willrelieve calosities on the plantar surface of the foot, provide gentlebut firm support to a metatarsal arch that has partially fallen or istending to fall, and the cushion is particularly desirable by a personlacking a normally thick layer of healthy tissue under the ball of thefoot, the cushion effectively compensating for tender, thin tissue inthe metatarsal area of the foot. The notch in the forward end of thesupport renders it invisible in an open-teed shoe, and provides ampletoe room in a shoe normally fitting a particular foot. Obviously, thedevice is durable, may be laundered whenever desired, is simple inconstruction and economical to manufacture, and will aid other andvarious ailments or afliictions of the foot.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a laminated cushion for the forepart of the plantar region of thefoot, a sheet of foam latex contoured to underlie that part of the footextending forward from the region of the longitudinal arch, a smoothcovering over said sheet and of the same area, said cushion having acurvate notch cut out of the forward end thereof to provide additionaltoe room when the device is in an article of footwear, and a generallyovate piece of the same laminated cushion material secured to theunderside of said cushion with the covering downward to provide asupport for the metatarsal arch of the foot.

2. In a foot cushion, a laminated partial insole comprising a layer offoam latex and a smooth cover bonded thereto, said partial insole havinga curvate notch in the forward end thereof being sized and contoured fordisposition in a shoe beneath that part of the foot extending forwardfrom the region of the longitudinal arch, a generally ovate piece of thesame laminated material as said partial insole to lend support to themetatarsal arch of the foot, a line of stitching securing said ovatepiece to the underside of said partial insole, and said partial insolebeing laterally skived on its underside at its rear end to provide agradual elevation when disposed in a shoe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS246,931 Williams Sept. 13, 1881 1,953,048 Crompton Mar. 27, 19342,415,580 Davis Feb. 11, 1947 2,482,333 Everston Sept. 20, 19492,658,288 Scholl Nov. 10, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 195,016 Great BritainMar. 22, 1923 220,865 Great Britain Aug. 28, 1924

